Moving Aircraft by trailer

Grum.Man

Grum.Man

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Grum.Man
Just curious what ideas were out there for moving an aircraft project by trailer. The problem is the horizontal stabilizer is 10.5' long and 8.5' is legal load size. The stabilizer is riveted on and would be a major project to remove and have to be re-jigged later not to mention it would mess up a nice paint job. Obviously the airplane would need to be rotated somehow about 35 degrees. It is a low winged airplane and somehow the engine would need to be supported as well. I don't really want to support the weight of the front of the airplane by the crank either.

Anybody ever paid a company to move one for them? What were the cost if you don't mind me asking? The wings are off already so it would just be a matter of loading it and driving from St. Louis to Charlotte NC.
 
Can't give you much of a suggestion. When I flatbeaded my Navion out to the restoration facility we pulled the wings and the horizontal stab.

Paint can always be repaired.
 
I can get an oversize permit for each state so I guess that is one option. Just nervousness driving 12 hours with a 10.5 foot wide load.
 
Grum.Man said:
I can get an oversize permit for each state so I guess that is one option. Just nervousness driving 12 hours with a 10.5 foot wide load.
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Usually not a problem as standard lane width is 12' for Federal highways (IIRC).

Around here a tonner with a 35 or 40' trailer will cost about $2/mile.

Figuring out how to support the load will be fun. A skilled carpenter can build a custom cradle fairly quickly, just need some plywood, carpet, tools, and time.
 
Grum.Man said:
I can get an oversize permit for each state so I guess that is one option. Just nervousness driving 12 hours with a 10.5 foot wide load.
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Interstate and highway lanes are 12' wide and at least a 2' shoulder. Plenty wide enough.
 
Clark1961 said:
Usually not a problem as standard lane width is 12' for Federal highways (IIRC).

Around here a tonner with a 35 or 40' trailer will cost about $2/mile.

Figuring out how to support the load will be fun. A skilled carpenter can build a custom cradle fairly quickly, just need some plywood, carpet, tools, and time.
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Where are you located? Everything I have seen has been 15-50 dollars for a one time use permit for the states I'll be going through. The length will only be about 16'.
 
Grum.Man said:
Where are you located? Everything I have seen has been 15-50 dollars for a one time use permit for the states I'll be going through. The length will only be about 16'.
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Colorado.

Something that might work for you would be to check with car hauling guys. They just look for a load to move. I once had a car hauled from Florida to Colorado for less than a $1,000.
 
Grum.Man said:
Where are you located? Everything I have seen has been 15-50 dollars for a one time use permit for the states I'll be going through. The length will only be about 16'.
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Get the permit if it's that cheap.
 
You guys have me feeling better about the width. I think there is less chance of damaging it hauling it on the gear vs trying to build a custom jig and trying to rotate the plane and support the engine.
 
Grum.Man said:
I can get an oversize permit for each state so I guess that is one option. Just nervousness driving 12 hours with a 10.5 foot wide load.
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Build a rig that rotates the fuselage 20 or 30 degrees (whatever is necessary to reduce the overall width to something you're comfortable with.). It could be as simple as a 1' ramp under the nosegear and a 2' ramp under one main. Of course, the fuselage will be strapped to the trailer securely, so it won't turn over on the trailer the first time you round a corner.
 
I've been out of the loop for a while, but I doubt that you can move it intact yourself unless you're an "Operating Authority." I don't think any state will issue an over-size permit to anyone other than an OA or a farmer. Even if some will, I doubt that all of them on your route would.

Moving it wouldn't be a big deal for a moving company, however. Getting a over-sized permit for 10.5 feet width would be pretty routine. It might not even require a pilot car (or "escort car") depending on state regs. Even if it does, probably just one would be required following the load.

Unless the airplane is an experimental or you're an A&P/IA, I suspect that hiring professionals to move it would be the less-expensive option. However, this time of year it would be a two-day job. Most states forbid hauling over-sized loads between sunset and sunrise.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
I've been out of the loop for a while, but I doubt that you can move it intact yourself unless you're an "Operating Authority." I don't think any state will issue an over-size permit to anyone other than an OA or a farmer. Even if some will, I doubt that all of them on your route would.

Moving it wouldn't be a big deal for a moving company, however. Getting a over-sized permit for 10.5 feet width would be pretty routine. It might not even require a pilot car (or "escort car") depending on state regs. Even if it does, probably just one would be required following the load.

Unless the airplane is an experimental or you're an A&P/IA, I suspect that hiring professionals to move it would be the less-expensive option. However, this time of year it would be a two-day job. Most states forbid hauling over-sized loads between sunset and sunrise.

Rich
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It is experimental and you are correct. Only allowed to haul during day light hours and some states do not allow it at all on Sunday. All the states I checked don't require a pilot car for a 10.5' load. The only limitation is 1,000,000.00 liability coverage which I can get for the trip through my insurance.

All else fails my dad has his CDL and is an owner operator so we could haul it under his company name.
 
Here's another website that will help. It lists each state's regulations for an oversize permit. Some of the states you will be traveling through will require a pilot car, Illinois for example. They aren't cheap.

http://wideloadshipping.com/oversize-load-regulations/

Maybe you should look into the crating company I linked above. They'll build custom supports, you provide the trailer and ratchet binders. Could be less $$ and hassle.
 
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mikeinbama said:
Yeah, but in cases like this, I am an "ask forgiveness, not permission" kind of guy. I'd load it up and go.
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Not a good policy if you deal with commercial trucking level fines.
 
RJM62 said:
I've been out of the loop for a while, but I doubt that you can move it intact yourself unless you're an "Operating Authority." I don't think any state will issue an over-size permit to anyone other than an OA or a farmer. Even if some will, I doubt that all of them on your route would.
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People haul their oversize boats on private trailers all the time with only an oversize permit.
 
Getter done
 

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weilke said:
People haul their oversize boats on private trailers all the time with only an oversize permit.
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You have a point there.

I was never a full-time trucker. I had a CDL because a company I used to work for occasionally installed antenna masts and tower, so some of us got the CDL so we could move them ourselves. But the company did have to become an OA to do this, and I had to fill in their DOT number every time I applied for a permit.

Maybe it's different if it's for private, non-commercial purposes. Also, I worked in the Northeast, where governments love to enact complex regulations for the sheer joy of doing so.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
You have a point there.

I was never a full-time trucker. I had a CDL because a company I used to work for occasionally installed antenna masts and tower, so some of us got the CDL so we could move them ourselves. But the company did have to become an OA to do this, and I had to fill in their DOT number every time I applied for a permit.

Maybe it's different if it's for private, non-commercial purposes. Also, I worked in the Northeast, where governments love to enact complex regulations for the sheer joy of doing so.

Rich
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Anything hauling interstate commercially, tonner size and up, will have a DOT number. Permits are simple rule conformance things at that point.

edit: I did have an oversize, overweight load hung up at a state border over a weekend while the state guy played word games. When the regular guys showed up on Monday the permit was issued and away it went. Not much fun and expensive but no big deal in terms of day to day stuff. Specialty truckers do it all the time.
 
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Grum.Man said:
Just curious what ideas were out there for moving an aircraft project by trailer. The problem is the horizontal stabilizer is 10.5' long and 8.5' is legal load size. The stabilizer is riveted on and would be a major project to remove and have to be re-jigged later not to mention it would mess up a nice paint job. Obviously the airplane would need to be rotated somehow about 35 degrees. It is a low winged airplane and somehow the engine would need to be supported as well. I don't really want to support the weight of the front of the airplane by the crank either.

Anybody ever paid a company to move one for them? What were the cost if you don't mind me asking? The wings are off already so it would just be a matter of loading it and driving from St. Louis to Charlotte NC.
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Want me to move that critter for ya?

Have Motor home will travel.

It's $350.00 per day plus expenses.
 
My former secretary and her husband transported an assembled 172 from a hay-field to their backyard strip without any permits. He was a farmer, looked at the thing, decided that 'it wasn't any bigger than a combine' and figured that putting a couple red triangles on it would be all that's needed. They started the move at 1am and were done by 5.
 
How hard would it be to put it into a flyable condition? If it isn't too hard, it would probably be easier to do that than trailer it.
 
The plane hasn't flown in over 10 years so just putting it back together and flying home isn't an option. Thanks for all the good ideas. I think I will modify my route to avoid Illinoise and get the permits to haul it on the gear. I don't mind getting a ticket, but I can't get parked on a Saturday and told the load can't move till the permits are obtained.

A custom crate is a good idea but then I will have to figure out how to get it into or onto the fixture without damage.
 
I'd start driving at dusk with a spare driver and meals packed.
 
I read through all of IL over sized load laws. Looks like I would only need an escort car if it was over 14'. I will need a rotating beacon there and wide load signs and flags for every state. Most states prohibit hauling over sized loads on Sundays so I need to plan to be back Saturday evening.
 
Better check all the other state's oversize requirements on the link I posted. I think there are more than just Illinois.
 
mikeinbama said:
Yeah, but in cases like this, I am an "ask forgiveness, not permission" kind of guy. I'd load it up and go.
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Horrible advice.

Cause an accident while willfully breaking the law, all the insurance in the world won't help you due to criminal negligence.

Get permits as required.

And, for all the people suggesting to rotate the plane, keep in mind that oversized loads also have height limits, so, depending on trailer deck height, and angle, and such, this load may be overheight., still requiring a permit.

Also, most oversized permits are dependent upon the load being "non-reducible". If it can be unbolted and hauled in another manner, including two trips, must be.
 
Just curious. Might it be possible to put the plane on the trailer at an angle, reducing the overall width and dispense with the "wide load" problems altogether?
 
JoseCuervo said:
Horrible advice.

Cause an accident while willfully breaking the law, all the insurance in the world won't help you due to criminal negligence.

Get permits as required.

And, for all the people suggesting to rotate the plane, keep in mind that oversized loads also have height limits, so, depending on trailer deck height, and angle, and such, this load may be overheight., still requiring a permit.

Also, most oversized permits are dependent upon the load being "non-reducible". If it can be unbolted and hauled in another manner, including two trips, must be.
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As mentioned earlier, the tail cannot be unbolted as it is riveted to the air frame.
 
KRyan said:
Just curious. Might it be possible to put the plane on the trailer at an angle, reducing the overall width and dispense with the "wide load" problems altogether?
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This has been mentioned a couple of times. The tricky part is supporting the load of the airplane, more particularly the engine.
 
wings are off? I'd lean toward building a tilted support to the spar attach fittings. A cradle for the tail. Get the width legal. Tilting will reduce the height of the fin as well. Additional time for bracing on a tilt should be minimal. It may require some fabrication for fittings but it may be a practical option.
 
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